1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a pivot support device; particularly, the present invention relates to a pivot support device and a display apparatus supported thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Viewing angle is a key parameter for the visual performance of the display devices, especially for those apparatuses that utilize liquid crystal display (LCD) inside. Unfortunately, some of the conventional LCD displays today have a limited viewing angle. Consequently, they lose contrast and fail to maintain their best color performance when viewed from some viewing directions. While the manufacturers are trying hard to increase the viewing angles of their display products, the mechanical design of the supporting mechanism for the display apparatus may also be crucial for many reasons, such as to provide a convenient method for adjusting the pivotable angle of the panel for better viewing direction and multi-viewer applications. In the design of the supporting mechanism for the display apparatuses that can also adjust the pivotable angle of the display apparatus mounted thereon, a pivot support device is usually used. Therefore, optimizing the maximum supporting force while providing a convenient angle-adjusting capability has become a goal for the designers to strive for. Further, as the functional and structural designs of the display apparatuses diversify day by day, the designs of the supporting mechanism also need to be improved in order to accommodate the diverse changes in the display apparatuses.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional design of a support mechanism of an LCD device. As shown in FIG. 1, the LCD device includes a housing 10, a support member 40, and a base 50. One end of the support member 40 is fixed to the base 50, and the other end of the support member 40 is pivotably connected to the center of a back plate 11 of the housing 10. Through the pivotal connection between the support member 40 and the housing 10, the housing 10 and the LCD panel can be adjusted freely to different pivotable angles.
However, as the design of the support mechanism shown in FIG. 1, the support member 40 is connected to the housing 10 externally. Furthermore, a certain part of the pivotal device needs to be disposed inside one end of the support member 40. Therefore, the thickness of the support member 40 cannot be reduced easily without a careful consideration or design, making the overall thickness of the LCD device increase and the LCD device appear bulky. In addition, in this design, it is difficult to make variations on the shape of the support member 40, and thus it limits the room for further improvements in the structural design of the LCD device.